South Africa has intensified its crackdown on cross‑border smuggling by deploying armoured, all‑terrain vehicles and additional security personnel along the Limpopo River near the Zimbabwe border, the Border Management Authority (BMA) confirmed.
BMA assistant commissioner Balene Mkhabela said three specialised vehicles, donated by private sector partners, are now patrolling the riverine frontier.
One of the vehicles is capable of operating in water, enabling officials to intercept smugglers who often use the river to cross illegally.
“We are able to intercept and cut the self-made channels,” Mkhabela said.
The Limpopo River corridor has long been a hotspot for illicit activity, with syndicates smuggling goods ranging from fuel, food and cigarettes to stolen vehicles and undocumented migrants.
South Africa’s porous border with Zimbabwe has made enforcement difficult, with authorities frequently reporting seizures of contraband and arrests of traffickers.
JN/APA